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This is obviously a covert subject so not interested in anyones set up. But do trackers really deter criminals hell bent on stealing a car and who really benefits from you fitting one - the insurance company or the owner. And what of the repercussions if you falsely say 'none fitted' to one of these bottom feeders that drag you out of bed in the middle of the night for your car.

Some of my colleagues have two trackers fitted other don't bother - why would they want the car back after some t**t has been thrashing it round.

Would be interested in comments.

I've heard that the scum know you will very probably have a tracker fitted to your car so they take it somewhere not too far away and strip it of everything they can

then leave it for the old bill to find.

The RS4 is in the top 5 list of cars nicked.

This is a difficult one for me as I'm torn between the two schools of thought. One side of me says yes to a tracker to maybe lower the premium and also to get the car back and the other side of me says no as I wouldn't want the car back if it had been stolen.

The car would also be labeled as a Stolen/Recovered vehicle which doesn't go down too well at resale time either.

It is quite common for the scrotes to drive reasonably as these types of car are mainly stolen to order so minimum damage is likely to occur. They will also park the vehicle up for a few nights to see if it does get tracked before they move it on in which case, even if you don't have a tracker, recovery may still happen.

Even knowing that - I still can't make my mind up though.

Graham

Having had an RS6 and an A3 3.2 s line taken from my house while me and my family were asleep upstairs I feel I'm qualified to comment on this subject.

Both of the cars stolen didn't have trackers fitted and because of this it took 3 months to find the A3 and 10 months to track down the RS6. Both cars were taken using the spare keys which they found after breaking into the house. Having been through what I can only describe as a horrific experience I'm not afraid to say that both my cars now have trackers fitted as well as 4 x CCTV camera's linked to a 24/7 hard disc recorder watching them on the drive. But as Graham says it's very difficult because if the car was taken would I want it back?? Probably not, however would I want the Scum who took it to be caught? YES!! and I have no doubt that if I had trackers fitted before the old bill would have got them. I have pretty clever tracker on my RS and if anyone is interested to know more PM me. Trust me if they try and take mine there Fooked....

I guess the real answer to the thread is Yes trackers help and in my opinion not only help with insurance etc. but also gives me a little piece of mind. Still that doesn't stop me curtain twitching several times a night to make sure it's still there!!!! Grrrrr scarred for life!!!

Jim

I wouldnt want one by choice. Id like to see the stats to see if more people are caught when pinching cars with trackers, I somehow doubt it.
most criminals after our cars will be clued up as to what to expect and I dont doubt for one minute that they know where to look for a tracker. I think our cars are probably nicked more for the parts to be honest, seats, wheels, front bumper etc, the scroats could easily net 3k on that little lot alone on ebay so a goods nights work.
The best devices seem to be the ones that allow them to drive off and then shut down 100yds up the road.

Porsche insist that you purchase a Porsche Vehicle Tracking System on a new car, operated by Cobra. When mine came up for renewal I asked Norwich Union what the increase in premium was not to have a tracker and it was £58 - vs £200.00 subscription for the year. Easy choice for me!

ARSEY4 wrote: .....The best devices seem to be the ones that allow them to drive off and then shut down 100yds up the road.

GPS tracker can do just that...turn the car off remotely (with police's approval first- In Australia).

Years ago I had a car stolen (from Silverstone car park during GP weekend) which had a Tracker in it and they never found it. I was told that unless it's one that self activates, they're pointless. I understand that they load the car into a lead lined container which blocks the Tracker signal. Once they're out of the country, the Tracker signal is virtually impossible to locate. That said, technology has probably moved on since then. I'm not sure I'd want my car back if they'd stolen and thrashed it and unless your insurance company requires it, I wouldn't bother.

rAudiguy wrote:I have pretty clever tracker on my RS and if anyone is interested to know more PM me. Trust me if they try and take mine there Fooked....


Jim

LMAO I have a sneaky suspicion I may know what kind of tracker that is and it makes traffic lights and junctions in a stolen car EXTREMELY amusing

tracker made little difference to my premium, costs a lot upfront to maintain, I don't want the car back afterwards esp. not as a stolen/recovery worth 5-10k less

so chalk me up as a no

tracker made little difference to my premium, costs a lot upfront to maintain, I don't want the car back afterwards esp. not as a stolen/recovery worth 5-10k less

so chalk me up as a no

Very true but you go buy another one with your insurance money and see how much your premium is then...... I'm speaking from experience here, it will cost you a dam site more if your car is stolen and never found in the long run, even with Gap.....

Quote (I don't want the car back afterwards esp. not as a stolen/recovery worth 5-10k less)

I haven't found this to be the case at all... i've had 2 cars stolen - one from my house while we slept and the other at knife point by 3 hooded bas#ards as i pulled up to my house!

both have been recovered thanks to tracker and i contacted HPI after and explained there was no damage and for a small price(£60 i think) they removed the stolen/ recovered tag from the cars history!! so my re sale prices have never been affected.

Crikey booski, I hope I don't live near you. What vehicles were stolen.

al'srs4 wrote:Crikey booski, I hope I don't live near you. What vehicles were stolen.

Both cars were stolen when i lived in the centre of Manchester (far too close for comfort to Moss Side), the 1st car stolen in 2005 was a Mini cooper S with works kit and the one i was carjacked for was a Golf GTI (with a few tweaks) in 2006.... i now live in the country side of Yorkshire so i figured i'd get the RS4 avant.

Funny thing is that my insurance NOW is less for the RS4 (in the country side) than it was for the GTI in Manchester. even though the car is nearly 3x more expensive and group 20 rather than 18